Burunche’s Blog

Genesis 8:13-22 “In Noah’s six hundred and first year, on the first day of the first month, the water had dried up from the earth. So Noah removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the earth was fully dry.

Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife, along with your sons and their wives. Bring out all the living creatures that are with you—birds, livestock, and everything that crawls upon the ground—so that they can spread out over the earth and be fruitful and multiply upon it.”

So Noah came out, along with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. Every living creature, every creeping thing, and every bird—everything that moves upon the earth—came out of the ark, kind by kind.

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar. When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”

“In Noah’s six hundred and first year, on the first day of the first month, the water had dried up from the earth. So Noah removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the earth was fully dry.

Talk about having cabin fever! Evidently, although there were some windows in the ark, there was some kind of covering over much of the deck that protected anyone out there from the weather. One of the untold miracles of the ark experience is the fact that Noah and his family managed to remain on good terms with one another throughout this entire ordeal.

Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife, along with your sons and their wives. Bring out all the living creatures that are with you—birds, livestock, and everything that crawls upon the ground—so that they can spread out over the earth and be fruitful and multiply upon it. So Noah came out, along with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. Every living creature, every creeping thing, and every bird—everything that moves upon the earth—came out of the ark, kind by kind.”  By now everybody is blinking at the brightness of the sunshine, enjoying a breeze that is not bringing more rain, and generally feeling relieved and free. Everything is great, right? That’s when God gives His next set of instructions.

“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.” We must assume that Noah is making these offerings to the Lord according to the Lord’s command. It scarcely seems fair! These clean animals and clean birds have survived several months in the ark and have probably multiplied while there. Now some of them are to be killed and offered as burnt offerings-why? These clean animals and birds represent a kind of first fruits offering. Noah is offering the Lord the best he has as an act of trust that God is going to use the rest of the animals and the birds to repopulate the earth. The animals are also being sacrificed as blood offerings to atone for any sins Noah and his family might have committed while on the ark. (How long would you be sweet-tempered if you were shut up on a small boat for months on end?)  

“When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”  We think about the smell of burning flesh and it seems anything but pleasing! But this aroma is pleasing because of Noah’s willing obedience. Notice God has no illusions about human nature; however, he promises not to curse the ground nor to destroy all living creatures. In one of the loveliest passages in these verses, God promises, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.” 

Later, when God is giving Moses His Law, God institutes regular peace offerings, special celebrations when men are to offer perfect animals to atone for sins and to make peace with God. Noah’s offerings might be viewed as the first peace offerings recorded.

The Bible tells us that “without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin.” (Hebrews 9:22) But God has sent His Son Jesus Christ to die as a blood sacrifice for our sins so that we no longer have to sacrifice sheep and goats and bullocks. When we accept what Jesus has done for us and believe in him, we are justified by faith. Romans 5:1 tells us, “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”

All of us have a sin problem; nothing any of us can do will make up for our sins. Noah and his family sacrificed the best animals and birds they possessed to achieve peace with God. But Jesus has done what we cannot do. If we believe in Jesus and accept His sacrifice, we are freed from our sins and we can live in God’s peace.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are facing horrible problems and have no peace. Please heal these situations and give those of us who are struggling Your perfect peace that passes all understanding. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 8:1-12 “Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.

So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.”

“Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.”  Water!!! For forty days and nights, all Noah and his family have heard is the rain beating on the roof and the deck of the ark while the waves crash into the side of the ship. Not only has God caused torrential rainfall, but the “fountains of the deep” have already spewed forth their water as well. But on Day #41, the rain stops and the water begins to recede. At first, Noah and his family don’t realize what’s happening, but suddenly they notice that it’s quiet with only the wind blowing. The animals in the ark also notice the difference and are making happy sounds. The ark is no longer moving but has come to rest on a mountaintop. But it takes several more weeks before the mountaintops appear.

Noah sends out a raven that can perch on mountaintops, but it’s not until Noah sends out a dove that he gets the necessary information. The first time Noah sends out the dove, the dove returns immediately because there is nowhere for her to perch. Noah waits a week and sends out the dove again. The second time, the dove returns with a fresh olive leaf in her mouth, indicating that the water is receding. Noah waits an additional week and sends out the dove a third time; this time, the dove doesn’t return because she has found a nesting place.

By this point, Noah, his family, and the animals are becoming thoroughly tired of being on the ark. Noah is worrying because the animal food is running out. Noah’s family members are becoming fractious after being confined to small cabins for the duration of the voyage, only going on deck for some fresh air after caring for the animals. Noah is wondering how much longer everybody can survive the situation. Just when things are looking bleak, Noah suddenly realizes that the rain has stopped and all he hears is a wind blowing. Noah begins to hope that the worst is truly over.

God can send His peace into all kinds of situations; however, there’s a special allure to the peace we feel after a storm has passed by. We come out of our shelters, thankful to have survived. Life has never seemed so precious and we feel an incredible sense of relief. In such situations, there is a special kind of peace borne of joy that we have endured and hope that we will never have to be tested in that way again.

Perhaps you have been enduring a time of strenuous testing. Take heart! God is bringing you His special peace. The same God who instituted Sabbath rest wants to give you rest right now in the midst of your problems.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Thank You for giving us the rest we so desperately need and with it, Your peace. In the mighty and previous Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 7:11 – 24 “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.

On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.

Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.”

“On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.” Ever stop to wonder how Noah and his family must have felt as they saw all those animals streaming from every direction to enter the ark? Those animals must have behaved in an abnormally peaceful fashion for Noah and his sons to herd them all into their respective pens. God must have directed the animals so that chaos would not ensue? And have you ever stopped to wonder the feelings of Noah and his family as they heard that huge door swing closed, knowing that it was God who was closing the door and not them?

Noah and his sons have been working on the ark for 100 years, braving the jeers of the neighbors. Their wives have been enduring ridicule as they have fetched water at the local wells and done their marketing. Anywhere Noah’s family members have gone, they have been objects of derision, and meanwhile, they must have been wondering if Noah has really heard from God or not. Talk about honoring your father, even when you suspect he might be crazy! Now as God is closing the door to the ark, Noah’s entire family must be down on their knees worshiping God in fear and trembling.

Next, how must Noah’s family feel when the neighbors who had been mocking them are now pounding on the door, begging to enter? Gone are the ridicule and the vicious insults! As the thunder rolls and the lightning crashes, Noah’s family can hear people screaming for help. “But Noah, we are your neighbors! We’ve lived next door to you all these years! Open this door, Noah!” Noah’s family members look at him in horror as they realize that everyone they know apart from themselves is about to die. All Noah can do is to shrug his shoulders. “I didn’t shut that door; God did. I can’t open it either. Have you seen how those animals and birds all found their correct places by themselves? God has directed them. God is the One who is in charge here, not me.”

And now Noah and his family are safe in the ark; however, they are also trapped with nowhere else to go. Noah has no idea where God will take them; all he knows is that God has kept them safe so far.

There are many times when we find ourselves in a position not unlike that of Noah. Circumstances have overtaken us and all we can do is to keep working and hope we survive. In February 1994 a tribal conflict broke out while we were in Accra for a meeting. After spending nearly two months in Accra, we succeeded in returning to our small village to find that I was now the only doctor for 100,000 people who had nowhere else to go. We had to start an operating theater, a laboratory, and blood transfusions-all without electricity or running water. On countless occasions I looked out the window of the consulting room to watch as women and children streamed toward the River Oti with all their belongings on their heads because yet another rumor was circulating that we were about to be attacked. Our facility was forced to care for refugees and the military for free, and government support evaporated. Those supervising us had no appreciation or understanding for our situation but tried to micro-manage us from the capital city anyway. In the middle of this mess, one supporting church wrote us, grandly announcing that we “no longer fit into their missions program.” (We later learned that church was searching for a mission that would allow them to do missionary tourism, short visits to an attractive mission field. They chose to support someone in Israel instead. Supporting vitally needed health care in a conflict zone didn’t fit their concept of missions.) In many ways, we found ourselves in the same situation as Noah and his family. But we had peace because we knew God had called us to be there during this time.

How can you have peace when you are stuck in a difficult situation with no way out? More than a century ago, many missionaries were slaughtered during the Boxer Rebellion in China. As news of the tragedies multiplied, Hudson Taylor, Founder of the China Inland Mission, was found singing this hymn to himself:

Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting in the Joy of What Thou Art

1

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art; I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.

Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For, by Thy transforming power, Thou hast made me whole.
Jesus! I am resting, resting In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness Of Thy loving heart.
2
Oh, how great Thy loving kindness, Vaster, broader than the sea:
Oh, how marvelous Thy goodness, Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved, Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise, And have made it mine.
3
Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless, Satisfies my heart,
Satisfies its deepest longings, Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings, Thine is love indeed.
4
Ever lift Thy face upon me, As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus, Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory, Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting, Fill me with Thy grace.

Today, you might feel you are stuck in a mess with no way out. Ask God to show you if this mess is from Him, for if it is, He can give you peace in the middle of it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us feel trapped in bad situations not of our making. Help us to trust You, that either these situations are of You and You will give us peace or that You will deliver us and give us peace. Thank You for being Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 7:1-10 “The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you (alone) righteous in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.” And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.

Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.”

 “The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you (alone) righteous in this generation.” One hundred years! Noah and his sons have been working on this ship for one hundred years. Not only have they completed the ship, but they have also gathered up all kinds of food for the animals God has promised to send. If the neighbors were derisive before, that’s nothing compared to what they are saying and doing now. As Noah and the family load the last animal food on the ark and begin climbing up the ramp to enter, the neighbors are jeering so loudly that the noise is incredible.

And now the animals are beginning to come and spontaneously climbing the ramp to enter the ark as well. It’s amazing, but all Noah and his sons have to do is to escort the animals to their various pens and everything is fine. The noise inside the ark is far less than the noise outside. God is sending the animals and birds He wants to save in the numbers He has already outlined for Noah. Noah’s job is not to gather up the animals but to make sure there is sufficient food for them. Given the rain that is coming, water should not be a problem. As the animals are trooping into the ark, huge black storm clouds are beginning to gather and the wind is picking up, blowing dust into the eyes of the mocking neighbors. Just as the last animals and birds are loaded and Noah’s family brings in the last of their possessions, there is a loud crash of thunder as lightning strikes the earth close to the ark. Rain begins to fall in torrents. Most of the neighbors head home to get out of the rain, wondering why it is raining at this time of year when it’s normally dry season.

There are many questions we would love to ask Noah if we could. What did Noah’s family members think of his conviction about the ark? Was Noah’s wife in agreement, or did she try to argue with him? What about Noah’s sons and their wives? If the time given is accurate, this family suffered for a century before vindication came. Those of us who are farmers might also have other questions: how did he handle the urine and manure from all those animals? What kept the carnivores from feasting on their neighbors or on Noah’s family members? How did Noah know the quantity and nature of the animal and bird food to collect? What was the noise level like on the ark? Were Noah and his family able to sleep  soundly? The longer you consider this story, the more you realize that God had to work a lot of miracles for things to run smoothly.

Throughout the Middle East there are many areas that testify to the fact that at some point, there was a huge flood. There is also strong evidence that Noah’s ark did eventually wind up on the top of Mount Ararat. For answers to many of the questions I have posed, you might visit the replica of the ark built in Williamstown, Kentucky. The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky is also well worth visiting. Whether or not you choose to believe the account in Genesis, these two museums strive to address a number of the controversies.

Noah and his family found themselves in the midst of an unfolding catastrophe. How could they maintain spiritual peace? They prayed and worshiped God and then trusted Him. We never know when our lives might be turned upside down-tornadoes, floods, fires, accidents-any of us can be hit with catastrophes. But when we know God and trust Him, we can be sure that God will take care of us. Romans 8:28 Tells us that “”All things work together for good to those who love the Lord.”

Does this mean that things will always be easy? Far from it! The same man who wrote the words I have just quoted died by being beheaded at the command of a wicked Roman emperor. If ever there were a man who lived a chaotic life, the Apostle Paul was that man. But throughout all Paul’s life, throughout beatings, danger from robbers, shipwrecks, imprisonment, and even being stoned, Paul still had the peace of God in his heart. When we have God’s peace, we can face anything that life throws at us. When we don’t have God’s peace, no amount of wealth, possessions, or power will suffice. 

They Cast Their Nets in Galilee

“They cast their nets in Galilee Just off the hills of brown
Such happy simple fisherfolk Before the Lord came down

Contented peaceful fishermen Before they ever knew
The peace of God That fill’d their hearts Brimful and broke them too.

Young John who trimmed the flapping sail, Homeless, in Patmos died.
Peter, who hauled the teeming net, Head-down was crucified.

The peace of God, it is no peace, But strife closed in the sod,
Yet, brothers, pray for but one thing–The marvelous peace of God.”

William Alexander Percy 1924

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to seek Your Peace above everything else, knowing that You are the Giver of Peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 6:9-22 “This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, (blameless, having integrity) perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits (450 feet), its width fifty cubits (75 feet), and its height thirty cubits (45 feet). You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.”

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.”

The name “Noah” means “rest;” however, at this point, things on earth are far from restful! The Nephilim (possibly fallen angels who have fallen from heaven to earth with Satan) have interbred with humans and their offspring are naturally evil and are begetting more evil. (What else can they produce?) God is ready to clean house; however, Noah and his family remain as righteous people and God chooses to use them to preserve creation. But first, Noah must build a boat in the middle of dry land.

Noah and his family already have a reputation as weirdos. Noah’s family doesn’t engage in wild sexual orgies or public drunkenness; they live quietly and peaceably. Noah is a diligent farmer while his neighbors are allowing their crops to go to seed. Noah takes care of his animals and restrains them, rather than allowing them to wander off into the neighbor’s crops, destroying their farms. Noah’s wife is kind and sweet and doesn’t join in the vicious gossip at the public well. If Noah’s wife sells things in the market, she doesn’t attempt to cheat people. The tomatoes at the bottom of the pile are just as good as those at the top, and Noah’’s wife has never sold anybody a rotten cucumber. If Mrs. Noah weaves material and sells it, she gives full measure and doesn’t try to fold the material so that a smaller amount will appear to be a larger length. Noah’s sons and daughters behave circumspectly and modestly. Yes, Noah and his family are really strange! And now things are about to get stranger.

The first indication Noah’s neighbors have that something unusual is happening is when Noah begins gathering huge amounts of wood and pitch. Next, Noah erects a scaffold, and when nosy neighbors question him, Noah tells them that God has instructed him to build a large boat and gather up animals and birds because God is going to send a catastrophic flood. You can almost imagine the ridicule. “God? Which god would tell you to do such a stupid thing? Noah, you must be drinking just like the rest of us! Besides, Noah, you’re a farmer, not a carpenter! And in case you haven’t noticed, the nearest large body of water is several days’ journey from here, and we get very little rainfall here. How can it possibly flood? Noah, you are really crazy!”

When we continue the story of Noah, we learn that it will take nearly 100 years to build the ark. That’s 100 years of insults from the neighbors, 100 years of verbal abuse, 100 years of sacrificing whatever reputation Noah might have established. It’s possible that prior to God’s orders, Noah has enjoyed a reputation as a sage advisor and counselor, one of the elders sitting in the city gates. Now Noah has become an object of ridicule. When Noah and his family venture out, small children mock them, chanting insulting verses about them. As Noah continues to build the ark, even the town criers announce his progress only to mock him.

Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Noah and his family are paying a high price, sacrificing their standing in society, and enduring all kinds of ridicule; however, their neighbors ultimately will pay for their unbelief and their slander with their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren.

In the face of such opposition, how are Noah and his family managing to persist and continue to progress? The key is the phrase “moved with godly fear.” Noah has a strong relationship with God and fears and respects God. Noah truly believes that God will bring a flood and that God is calling him to do the unthinkable, to build a huge boat in the middle of a land with no lakes or seas for great distances. Noah has peace in his heart and is continuing to obey God because he trust that God has truly spoken to him and he fears for his family, for creation, and for himself.

While heading mission hospitals, I have endured at least three major staff strikes. Each time, rebellious members of staff have convinced others that the hospital has enormous amounts of money and should be paying generous allowances in addition to the salaries staff receive from the government. Each time, these people have vilified me, even though I have worked extremely hard and that I have tried to lead as honestly and as honorably as possible. During one strike, one seasoned nursing leader commented that my people had no idea how well we were actually doing and that they should be grateful rather than resentful. Only the knowledge that God has called me and continues to call me has allowed me to remain faithful and to continue to work.

Steven Jobs is quoted as having said, “If you want to be popular, sell ice cream.” Most of the time, when we consider the story of Noah, we focus on the completed ark, gathering the animals, and the flood. There are all kinds of cute pictures of Noah and all those animals. But Noah paid the real price before the flood ever arrived, enduring all kinds of attacks from his neighbors. Noah had peace because he knew that God was calling him to do this work.

Romans 5:1-5 tells us, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Noah had peace with God because he remained in fellowship with God and refused to listen to evil advisers. When surrounded by evil, we may still have peace with God if we will look to God and refuse to pay attention to those around us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to focus on You and not on the evil around us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 5:18 – 24 “When Jared was 162 years old, he became the father of Enoch. And after he had become the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. So Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.

When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he had become the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. So Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, because God had taken him away.”

One of the baffling things about Genesis is the number of years these people allegedly lived. Leaving that question to the side, we have the fascinating mention of Enoch.

In many respects, Enoch is a frustrating figure. We know nothing about Enoch’s profession; did he herd sheep and goats? Was he a farmer raising crops? Was he a merchant? Who knows? We know that Enoch fathered Methuselah, who turned out to live longer than any other man. We know nothing about the rest of Enoch’s family. We don’t even know how Enoch prayed or worshipped. All we do know is that God took Enoch straight to heaven without Enoch suffering through death pangs.

Why would God choose Enoch for such an honor over any other person? Why bother even discussing Enoch? Evidently, from the time Enoch was young, Enoch knew God and had an intimate friendship with God. Hebrews 11:5 tells us, ”By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken, he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

Enoch was one of those guys who was simply fun to be around. You could hear Enoch coming before you would see him, for he was always singing or whistling something cheery. Enoch had pet nicknames for all his friends. Children and animals loved Enoch-dogs and cats followed him, donkeys brayed at him, horses nickered to him, and he had a kind and gentle touch for every living creature. When you were with Enoch, the sky was a brighter shade of blue, the birds sang more sweetly, and you felt hopeful and encouraged. Enoch had a lovely sense of humor and could make jokes about himself that brought smiles and laughter. To be with Enoch was to be with someone who loved you and who would support you.

“But you never knew Enoch,” you might react. “How can you possibly say all these things about him?” I can say these things because Enoch pleased God and the attributes I have just described are Godly attributes. 23 tells us that tthe fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. For Enoch to please God, he must have exhibited all these qualities in abundance. How did Enoch learn all these things? He walked with God and God taught him. Enoch imbibed so much of God’s nature that God couldn’t stand to be parted from him for an instant.

Romans 5:1-2 says, “ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Did Enoch ask God to take him to heaven? I don’t think so. I think one evening, Enoch was walking and talking with God, and God was so pleased with him that God gathered him up and took him to heaven. The only other people honored in this fashion have been Elijah and Jesus. Moses and all the other prophets died and were buried. All the apostles and all believers since died and were buried. Enoch went to heaven because he was justified by faith and had peace with God.

Enoch’s story is important because he stands as a testimony to what happens when someone pleases God completely and has peace with God. How can we have that kind of relationship with God? Ask God for help. God wants to be in close relationship with us and will give us His grace and His peace if we will ask.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to lives of peace and grace so that we will always please You as Enoch has done. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 4:1-16 “And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said. Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel.

Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD, while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.

“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”

Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” “Not so! ” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”

“Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD, while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.” Cain is the firstborn in the family and raises crops while Abel keeps sheep. But when the two brothers bring offerings, God approves of Abel while disregarding Cain. What has gone wrong? Is God playing favorites?

There are some teachers who feel that Abel’s offering is acceptable because it is a blood sacrifice; however, at no point is it recorded that God has demanded blood sacrifices. Abel has offered the best portions of the firstborn of his flock, taking a risk that this is the only lamb his flock will produce. Perhaps Abel has loved that lamb and has even made a pet of it; he still offers it to God anyway. Cain has brought some of the fruit of the soil; there’s no indication that this produce is either the first fruits of Cain’s efforts or the best Cain has available. It’s quite likely that Cain has kept the best produce for himself and has given God left-overs. Notice something else: while Cain is busy getting angry at God, at no point does Cain ask God what kind of a sacrifice he might offer that would be acceptable. Cain is not the slightest bit repentant, but instead his attitude is “O.K., God. Here’s my sacrifice. Take it or leave it!”  

“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”  God has no illusions as to the evil in Cain’s heart. Cain is rebelling against God and refuses to be taught or corrected. Cain chooses to believe that he is fine just as is and that God has no right to demand anything else from him.

“Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain can’t take revenge on God, so he decides to target Abel. Cain’s misbelief is that if Abel hadn’t offered such a great sacrifice, God would have been satisfied with Cain’s left-overs. Cain doesn’t understand that God is all-knowing and all-seeing and that God knows Cain’s heart better than Cain does. Cain murders Abel and then tries to deny it.

“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”  No matter who occupies a land, the land will remember the evil or the good done on it. Cain has polluted the earth so that the earth can no longer respond to his efforts.

We have lived in several different cities in America that were originally involved in the slave trade. Even though slavery has been illegal for more than 150 years, evil still lingers in parts of each of these cities. Sometimes the spiritual climate changes from block to block. When we have toured slave forts in Ghana, the ancient misery has been nearly palpable. The land remembers.

“But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” “Not so! ” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.” Is Cain repentant? Not in the slightest! Cain has murdered his brother, depriving him of life; now Cain is feeling sorry for himself because God is punishing him. God is actually being merciful; later, when God is giving the Israelites the Law, murderers are to be put to death.

The tragedy of Abel’s murder is compounded by Cain’s unwillingness to repent. There are murderers who have repented, received forgiveness from God, and who have even gone on to minister to others. The Apostle Paul confessed that he was responsible for putting a number of Christians to death; yet, God forgave him and used him mightily when Paul repented. Cain’s sin is terrible, but he still might receive pardon and forgiveness if he repents. But Cain persists in believing that he has done nothing wrong; Cain’s only worry is staying alive himself.  

When we sin, God will forgive us if we are truly sorry, turn away from our sins, and confess them to God, seeking forgiveness. There may be consequences that we must face, including prison sentences, paying restitution, etc. When we repent, we can have peace with God. But no repentance, no peace.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to search our hearts and to confess anything that is keeping us from Your presence. Help us to truly turn away from our sins and live new lives full of Your grace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

”And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” If news media had existed in the day of Adam and Eve, the headlines would have read “Eden-Game Over!” The first indication that things have changed is this simple but horrible statement. Where has God gotten the skins with which to clothe Adam and Eve? Some animal has had to die, shedding its blood. Although we don’t hear about blood sacrifices until the story of Caine and Abel, God is the One who offers the first blood sacrifice; innocent animals die so their skins can be used for clothing. Now everything in nature has also changed and animals that were previously herbivorous have become carnivores. Sin has entered the world, and the ripple effect has changed all creation.
Why has God allowed one lousy decision by these people to blight the entire world? By rebelling against God, Adam and Eve have allowed Satan to use them as conduits of evil. Adam is serving as the pinnacle of God’s creation; God has allowed him to name all the animals, as well as naming Eve. Had Adam resisted, it’s barely possible that this catastrophe might have been avoided; however, Adam has caved in and capitulated. When top leaders and top executives commit crimes, they doom their organizations and inspire others to commit criminal acts as well.
Romans 8:19-22 tells us, “I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time…”

God has freely allowed creation to be corrupted for a time; however, eventually when Jesus returns to the earth, creation will also be delivered from the ravages of sin. Even now, the land and water bodies respond to righteousness. The “Transformations” videos created by the Sentinel Organization depict dramatic changes in soil fertility and miraculous healing of streams, rivers, lakes, and even the ocean when those occupying the land repent and serve the One True Living God. These changes have been documented in geographically diverse places such as Guatemala, Alaska, California, Colombia, and Fiji.

“Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever…”
Why is God worrying about this now? The tree of life was always there, and God never forbade Adam and Eve from eating from the tree of life; however, that was before they disobeyed. Now that Adam has obeyed Satan rather than God, he cannot be trusted.

“Therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. So He drove out the man and stationed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden, along with a whirling sword of flame to guard the way to the tree of life.”

We have no idea of the actual location of the Garden of Eden, although many sites in the Middle East have been proposed as possible locations. The only thing we know is that God has completely banished humans from Eden, setting a guard that Satan cannot penetrate.

The story of Eden is a tragic one; however, similar stories continue to unfold. More than one outstanding athlete has been awarded a scholarship to a great school, only to die from an overdose while celebrating his award. For many, this incident might mark the first time they have ever tried drugs. In some cases, the drugs are slipped into food or drink by acquaintances.

Can we sin so horribly that we separate ourselves from God? Yes and no. Yes, we can sin so horribly that we are ashamed and afraid to approach God. Can we shock God? No. God has seen it all and is fully aware of every kind of evil that exists. But God is infinitely loving and kind and will forgive us if we only will repent. God loved Adam and Eve, even after they had sinned, sending Adam and Eve out of Eden for their own protection so that they would not continue to become increasingly evil. Had Adam and Eve remained in Eden and secured eternal life, they could have spawned a race of demon-possessed people that would have populated the entire earth.

1 John 1:8-9 tells us “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confession of sin demands that we humble ourselves and face the evil in us. Once we are willing to confess our sins, God stands ready to forgive us. God has already made provision for our sins by sending Jesus to die on Calvary as our substitute. But we must confess our sins and believe in what Jesus has done for us. Nothing we do by ourselves will be sufficient to pay for our sins.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have committed many sins and have separated ourselves from you. Thank You for sending Jesus to die in our place for our sins. Please forgive us and clean up our hearts. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 3:14-19 “So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. You will desire your husband, and he will rule over you.” And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

“So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”  At this point, those of you who like snakes and lizards are probably protesting, “But why curse the serpent? Why do snakes have to suffer because Satan took on the form of a snake while tempting Eve?

What was the appearance of the serpent before he tempted Eve? Obviously, the serpent was very attractive and charming and was not crawling around on his belly; otherwise, condemning him to do so would not have been a punishment. Obviously, before the temptation, the serpent was able to talk to Eve and to convince her to disobey God. It’s even possible that the serpent had conducted many conversations with Eve before convincing her to eat the forbidden fruit; after all, to be an effective tempter, you should establish a good relationship with your target. What was the serpent eating before the temptation? Certainly not dust. Was Satan able to take on various appearances and merely took on the form of a serpent or did Satan overwhelm the serpent’s personality and use its body? Did these events really happen at all or is this part of Scripture a fable to explain why snakes crawl on their bellies? We will only get some of the answers to these questions when we reach heaven.

“To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. You will desire your husband, and he will rule over you.” Childbirth is no joke! Any woman who has given birth knows how painful it can be. Women who love their husbands desire them. But what about the phrase “he will rule over you.”? Unfortunately, abusive men have misquoted this phrase to justify any amount of physical/mental/emotional abuse they mete out to their wives; meanwhile, such abuse has never been God’s intention.

Ephesians 5:21-33 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (This does not mean wives are doormats or punching bags! Acknowledging authority does not involve abuse!)

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

“And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

In Eden, gardening was very simple and relaxing. Walk around, pick fruit, rest. Now Adam must struggle to raise crops. Ask any farmer and he/she will tell you that thorns, thistles, and weeds are the bane of a farmer’s existence. Removing weeds manually or with implements is hard work. Removing weeds with chemicals allows the chemicals to leach into the soil, poisoning the ground water. Pope John the 23^rd used to joke that there were three ways to go to ruin: wine, women, and farming, and that his father had chosen the least exciting of the three. (His father was a farmer!)

Whether or not you accept the story of the Garden of Eden as being true, the fact remains that our disobedience creates barriers between us and God, shattering our peace. How can we get peace? Submit to God. Confess your sins to Him and ask for His forgiveness and for the ability to live as God wants you to.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have sinned and grieved You. Forgive us and help us to live to please You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 3:8-19 “Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. So the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”

“I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

“Who told you that you were naked?” asked the LORD God. “Have you eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?”

And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

“The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”  

“Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. So the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”  Until now, God and Adam had regularly spent time together in the garden, and Adam knew no shame at his nakedness. But now things have changed, and Adam is ashamed of himself. This is the first recorded instance of conviction of sin, but more than that, the cry, “Adam, where are you?” echoes down the centuries. This cry comes from the Father Heart of a God who loves His creation and who longs for closeness and relationship. Does God really need to cry out? Obviously, God is all-knowing and has already witnessed Adam and Eve’s fall from grace. No, God is calling out to Adam for Adam to recognize what he has done. God’s heart is wounded, for Adam has removed himself from God’s presence, even though God is in the Garden.

“What!” you ask. “How can you say that Almighty God can possibly have a wounded heart? Isn’t that an impossibility?” Consider this: God has created us in His Image and has given us emotions. Why can’t God also feel emotions, even though the consequences for Him will be far less than the consequences we suffer? How can we speak about God loving us unless God can feel emotions? If God cannot feel emotions, it would be quite simple to zap Adam and Eve out of existence and start over, but God doesn’t do that. God continues to press Adam so that Adam will confess what he has done because only then can God forgive him.

““I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

“Who told you that you were naked?” asked the LORD God. “Have you eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?”

And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

“The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”  

Hoo-boy! Having been caught out, now Adam and Eve are starting the blame game. Adam was right there and could have refuted the serpent’s lies and stopped Eve, and refused to eat the forbidden fruit; however, Adam wants to blame Eve. Eve wants to blame the serpent for deceiving her; meanwhile, the question for Adam and Eve is “What part of ‘No!’ do you not understand?” God has given clear directions, but this couple are hoping to maneuver their way out of trouble. Whether or not you believe that this account is factual, it’s still intensely human and highly believable.

The problem is that neither Adam nor Eve have stopped to think of the consequences of disobeying God-how they might feel, how God might feel, or what might happen as a result of disobedience. The original sin was a lust for power-“you will be like God.” Only now are this couple realizing just how seriously they have messed up.

One of the TV shows we enjoy is “Border Patrol,” a program featuring Customs and Immigration officials in several different countries. Many countries have strict regulations regarding the importation of fruit, vegetables, meat, and other agricultural products because such items can introduce pests and diseases that can destroy the entire agricultural economy of a country. Incoming plane passengers are given lists of rules written several different languages so that they will be able to report truthfully about the amount of money they are bringing in plus any food items or other potential contraband. Since many of these passengers are seasoned travelers, you might think that they would be fully compliant with all the regulations….and you would be quite wrong! The variety of contraband is only exceeded by the incredible variety of excuses for these items “suddenly” appearing in the travelers’ luggage. One of the most common excuses is “My ________ (mother, mother-in-law, wife, sister, brother, friend, some stranger in the airport) packed my luggage and I didn’t know anything about this item.” But airport customs officials are only concerned about the person bringing in the items. In the end, reporting is the responsibility of the individual carrying the bags, no matter who has packed them.

To sin means to do wrong things that grieve God. How do we know what grieves God and what He approves? God has given us His instructions in the Bible. Psalm 119:9-11 tells us, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.“

Before disobeying God, Adam and Eve enjoyed one of the most wonderful forms of companionship possible, spending time with God Who loved them completely. There was no misunderstanding or miscommunication. Some of us, if we are blessed, may have friends or relatives whose very presence is an encouragement; however, these people can never love us as completely as God does.

The bad news for the human race is that all of us are sinners who cannot earn our way into heaven, no matter how hard we try. But the good news is that God has made a way for us to have fellowship with Him by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die as a blood sacrifice for our sins. When we accept what Jeuss has done for us, we can have fellowship with God. But there is a price: we must acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves and that we must trust in Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners and that nothing we do is good enough to pay for our sins. Thank You for sending Jesus to die as a blood sacrifice for our sins. We accept what Jesus has done for us and beg You to forgive us our sins and to help us live lives that are pleasing to You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.